Masonry guide



G. V. RUBLE MASONRY GUIDE Sept. 4, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 28, 1952 INVENTOR.

GERALD V. RUBLE ATTORNEY P 4, 1956 G. v. RUBLE 2,761,214-

MASONRY GUIDE Filed April 28, 1952 s sheets-sheet 2 INVENTOR.

" BY GERALD v. RUBLE ATTORNEY G. V. RUBLE MASONRY GUIDE Sept. 4, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April 28, 1952 92 INVENTOR.

GERALD V. RUBLE Ill QQLV.

I ATTORNEY United States Patent MASONRY GUIDE Gerald V. Ruble, Dayton, Ohio Application April 28, 1952, Serial No. 284,676 3 Claims. (Cl. 33-85) This invention relates to positioning or guiding devices for building construction, particularly adapted for accuracy in working to assure that walls and corners of brick and/ or stone material are in proper alignment.

One object of the invention is the provision, in a device of the character mentioned, of means for maintaining the lateral edges of bricks, stone or similar building construction materials in a constant, straight line during the construction of exterior or interior walls, fireplaces, kilns, or the like.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a positioning device for the construction of brick or stone exterior walls which will effectively avoid objectionable vertical distortion of a brick or stone wall due to corner displacement of bricks or stone from a vertical or perpendicular corner alignment.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a positioning device for effectively and expeditiously maintaining corner alignment during the construction of a building, such device including a positive vertical, extensible standard cooperating with the lateral edge of bricks and stone during the construction of a wall to maintain corner vertical alignment, the device being so supported by the bed of a foundation that it inherently tends to maintain a vertical position.

A further object of the invention is to provide guides for building construction, which are durable and readily assembled to permit bricklayers to quickly and accurately lay bricks in proper predetermined position during the construction of either solid or veneer type brick walls.

Still another object of the invention is to provide simple and efficient masonry guide devices including a vertical standard projecting upwardly from the foundation .of a building, aligning means vertically adjustable on the standard carrying supports for a guide line, and levels mounted on the standard and arranged to enable ordinary construction workers to quickly adjust the standard to proper predetermined positioning.

A still further object is the provision of a masonry corner guide device that may be employed by ordinary construction workers for either exterior or interior masonry and/or brickwork construction during the course of wall erection and which comprises an extensible standard which may be quickly removably attached to a foundation or footing, which device will serve as an accurate guide for the erection of corners of a buliding.

A still further object is to provide positioning or guiding devices for brickwork construction to assure horizontal beds and vertical walls, or, if the outer face of the wall is sloped, that the angle of the slope is maintained.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings wherein for purposes of exemplification, a preferred embodiment exterior and interior construction is shown.

In the drawings:

Fig. Us a perspective view of a structure showing the "ice application of a masonry guide device of the invention as used when laying bricks for an exterior wall of a build- Fig. 2 and Fig. 2a illustrate the device of the invention looking in the direction of the arrow 2, 2a in Fig. 1; Fig- 2b is a fragmentary view of a modified support member employed for slanting brick wall construction;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of an upper support member of the device taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a sectioned view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the guide holder of the device as viewed in the direction of line 55 of Fig. 2 and in addition having a line reel attached thereto;

Fig. 6 is a side view of the guide line holder and reel;

Fig. 7 is a top plan view of the lower support member of the device taken 011 the line 7--7 in Figs. 2, 2a;

Fig. 8 is a plan view of a modified lower support member employed for inside corner construction;

Fig. 9 is a plan view of the upper support member modified for use in connection with inside corner construction;

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the masonry guide device of the invention modified for laying solid brick wall structures;

Fig. 11 is a top plan view taken on line 1111 of Fig. 10;

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary view taken on line 1212 of Fig. 10;

Fig. 13 is a side view of an auxiliary support member; and

Fig. 14 is a view taken on the line 14--14 of Fig. 10 illustrating one form of corner guide.

The invention as herein disclosed is shown with relation to exterior and interior wall construction of a building, but it should be understood that this masonry guide or positioning device has also been found to be highly suitable for use in the erection of other structures, as for example, large-size interior or exterior brick or stone fireplaces and chimneys where a predetermined position of lateral corners is to be maintained. Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to Figs. 2 and 2a, a preferred embodiment of a masonry guide device of the invention adapted for the construction of exterior brick walling is shown assembled for use. In accordance therewith, 10 generally designates a base or supporting member having an upwardly extending member or portion 11 and a forwardly extending member or integral base portion 12 which is preferably cast, formed or bent into substantial right-angular relationship with respect to upwardly extending member 11. It has been found desirable, however, for angular type construction, as for example, inclined, oblique or slanting brick wall construction to hinge member 11 to member 12 by the hinge 19 as shown in Fig. 2b so that desired angular adjustment of the device can be made and maintained. The inner face of portion 11 is provided with a pair of guide members 13, 14 affixed thereto by welding or formed integrally therewith, leaving a slot 15 between the guide members 13, 14. The slot 15 and the guide members 13, 14 extend the full length of the portion 11 to form a track adapted to slidably receive a T-shaped standard shown generally at 30. The forwardly extending portion 1.2 is welded or otherwise suitably joined to an angular corner member 20 formed to provide integral wing portions 21, 22 preferably disposed to substantially define a right angled corner guide having a vertex or apex in alignment with, and at an approximate 45 angle to the portion 11 of the base member 10, as shown in Fig. 7.

The corner member 20 which preferably is designed to embrace a corner of a foundation wall or footer as shown in Fig. 1, is provided with adjusting bolts '23,

24 threadedly received in nuts 25 affixed to the wing portions 21, 22 respectively, the bolts extending through the outer face of the wing portions.

For simplification of description, all adjusting and locking bolts used in the devices of the invention as well as the threaded nuts as just described are considered as standard in their usage throughout and will be referred to as such.

The base portion 32 of the T-shaped standard 30 is slidably and adjustably carried in the guide members 13, 14 with the flange or lateral extension 31 of the standard 30 riding in and extending outwardly of the slot 15. Vertical adjustment of the standard 30 is maintained by a pair of locking bolts 35, 36, carried by the supporting member 10, and extending outwardly therefrom. In addition, standard 30 is provided with scale members 38 having indicia or graduations impressed thereon, comparable to the indicia or graduations on brickmasons standard rules. Such scale members are suitably imbedded or imprinted in grooves 39 provided on either side of the lateral extension or flange portion 31.

The upper extremity of the standard 30 carries a top supporting member 40 releasably secured thereto as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3. Member 40 consists essentially of a substantially right-angularly shaped base portion 41 carrying outer walls 42, 43 and inner intersecting walls 44, 45, such walls forming channels at right angles to each other. Side walls 42, 43 are provided with suitable locking bolts 47, 48 respectively for detachably securing the top supporting member 40 to a horizontal projecting member, as for example, copings or cornices of a building as shown at 86 in Figs. 1 and 2. A bracket 50 is welded or otherwise afiixed to the bottom of base 41, positioned at a 45 angle relationship thereto, and the depending portion of bracket 50 is provided with a locking bolt 51. To the bottom of the forwardly projecting portion of bracket 50 is suitably joined a U-shaped member 53 adapted to embrace or fit around the portion 31 of standard 30. A part of the base portion 32 of standard 30 is cut away at 55 to accommodate the bracket 50 as shown in Fig. 4. The upper supporting member 40 is thus adapted to be releasably secured to the standard 30, with the U-shaped member 53 encompassing the lateral extension or flange portion 31 to assure proper alignment, by adjusting bolt 51 in locking engagement against the cutout portion 55.

A line holding member 60, illustrated in Figs. 2 and 7, is preferably formed to approximate the configuration as shown having a base or straight Wall portion 61, and side walls 62, 63 with the forward ends of the walls 62, 63 being preferably formed or compressed inwardly to define a narrowed or U-shaped portion 64. Portion 64 is designed to provide a sliding fit on the lateral extension or flange 31 of the standard 30, and the line holder 60 is so dimensioned that it will completely encompass the standard 30 and the upwardly extending portion 11 of base 10 carrying the guides 13, 14. In addition, the line holding member 60 has a locking bolt 66 mounted in the center of the rear wall portion 61 to adjustably secure the line holding member 60 in a predetermined position, and also a line carrying pin 68 mounted on the forward end of the narrowed portion 64 extending upwardly a sufficient and suitable distance to assure confinement of the bricklaying line 69.

Referring to Figs. and 6, it will be noted that line holding member 60 has been provided with a line reel 70 mounted for rotation on a bracket 71 which in turn is mounted on either side wall 62 or 63. Line reel 70 comprises a ratchet wheel 72 having teeth which are adapted to be engaged by a pawl 73 pivotally connected to an extension lever 74 of bracket 71 to maintain the line 69 in a tightly drawn condition when desired. Pawl 73 is manually operated into or out of engagement with the teeth of ratchet wheel 72 by means of pin 75 which is designed to maintain the pawl in a sustained position as shown or to permit turning of the ratchet wheel when it is desired to remove or increase the slack from line 69. Preferably the line holders which are provided with reel 70 have an eyelet 76 secured to the forward end and side portion 64 to guide the line 69 to the reel.

Line holding members 60 are further provided with spirit levels 80, one such level being fastened to the wall 62 by bracket 81 while the other level is fastened to wall 61 by a similar bracket 82. Levels provide a means to assure substantially perfect vertical alignment of the standard 30 or, if it is desired to construct the outer face of a wall and corners at an angle, such angle or slope may be indicated by the spirit level indicator to effect accuracy in working and in consequence maintain desired alignment of walls and corners in accordance with this invention.

For building exterior walling, one unit of this invention is placed at each corner of the structure 83, a typical structure being illustrated in Fig. 1 as a one story brick veneer house. The unit is placed into position with the forwardly extending portion 12 of base member 10 resting on the foundation 85. The standard 30 is extended upwardly until the supporting member 40 is in contact with the overhanging eaves of the structure 83. In some building structures, there are horizontal and downwardly projecting surfaces, as for example, eaves, copings and cornices which are suitably utilized for engagement with member 40 and such a structure is shown in Figs. 1 and 2 at 86 where the channel portions formed by interesting walls 42, 43 and intersecting walls 44, 45 engage the projecting surfaces 86 and are securely engaged therewith by locking bolts 47, 48. During this operation, the locking bolts 35, 36 on base 10 are tightened to lock the standard 30 in position.

When a building structure does not provide for projecting surfaces 86 as described, the support 40 may be secured to overhanging wood frame structure by means of wood screws inserted through holes 87 provided in support 40. Preferably the support 40 during construction of a house as illustrated in Fig. 1, is so located as to approximately align the extreme forward portion of the lateral extension or flange portion 31 of the standard 30 with the corner of the footing or foundation 85, while the corner member 20 is adjusted by bolts 23, 24 to align the standard 30 with the corner of the footing or foundation to meet desired plumb and level requirements.

After the guide units as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 are secured and in proper alignment at the corners of the structure 83, guide line 69 originating from reel 70 is fed through eyelet 76 to a line carrying pin 68 and thereafter is drawn to the corners about the structure on line carrying pins 68 or to the adjoining corner guide unit line holding member 60 where it is fastened by suitably tying or knotting the line to a pin 68.

Ordinarily a bricklayer first builds up the quoins or wall corners of a building structure from six to eight courses high and thereafter proceeds to lay courses the whole length of a wall therebetween. The building of quoins in this manner is very tedious, time consuming and expensive and requires considerable experience to ensure having the quoins absolutely true. In contradistinction, after the masonry or brick guide units of this invention have been properly positioned at the wall corners as described above, the line holding members 60 carrying line 69 are lowered to the bottom of the base supporting member 10 to a paralleling position where the line 69 will indicate the proper positioning of the frog or uppermost side of the first course of bricks. During this operation, locking bolts 35 are removed to permit the passage of line holding members 60 and are again secured to base member 10 to maintain alignment of the guide unit while bolts 36 are removed to permit the positioning of line holding members so that line 69 when tightly drawn will indicate where the uppermost side of the first course of bricks should lie. With this arrangement, bricks forming the middle portion of a wall'are laid first and in the'direction of the quoins formed of bricks or stone 88 which are then readily constructed in vertical alignment with the outermost edge of the lateral extension or flange portion 31. Holding members 60 carrying the line 69 are then moved upwardly progressively so that the line 69 will indicate the exact height of the next courses until the desired wall of substantially perfect alignment both vertically and horizontally is completed.

Modified base and top supporting members a and 40a respectively for the masonry guide device of the invention when employed for inside corner and wall construction, appear in Figs. 8 and 9. Disposed at right angles to supporting member 10a is a rearwardly extending and integral base portion 12a which may be suitably secured to a floor structure by means of wood screws inserted through holes provided in the base portion 12a. Releasably in association with the standard 30 for inside corner and wall construction is the top supporting member 40:: which, like top supporting member 40, consists essentially of a right-angularly shaped channel member designed as definitely appears in Fig. 9, for detachable securement to an intersecting corner ceiling member, as for example, a molding (not shown).

To illustrate another advantageous use of the masonry guide device of this invention, Fig. 10 shows the device equipped with a bracing structure which may be detachably secured to the device for the erection of solid brick structures as contrasted with the erection of the veneer brick type structures described above. As modified for the erection of solid brick structures, the base or supporting member 10 is provided with auxiliary supporting extension bars or members 90 suitably attached to Wing portions 21, 22, of angular corner member 20 carrying bolts 91, by a pair of locking wing or thumb nuts 92. The opposite ends of extension members 90 are secured, as by welding, to support members 95, 96 respectively. Members 95, 96 are adapted to embrace the top and sides of foundation 85 in a somewhat similar manner as base member 20, and have adjusting bolts 98 serving a like purpose as bolts 21, 22 of member 20. A pair of angularly disposed braces 100 are detachably connected to bolts 101, carried by the outer ends of extension bars 90 and secured thereto by wing nuts 102. The upper or opposite ends of braces 100 are adjustably connected to a holding member 60a as shown in Figs. 10 and 12. Holding member 60a as more particularly shown in Fig. 12, is preferably formed to approximate the configuration as illustrated and described in connection with holding member 60 except that bolts 105 have been provided for the reception of braces 100 through elongated slots 106 provided at their upper ends, the upper portions of these braces 100 being secured to the holding member 60a by thumb or wing nuts 107. Sufficient clearance is provided between the upwardly extending portion 11 of the base supporting member 10 carrying the standard 30 so as to permit vertical adjustment and consequent desired positioning of the members 90 in a horizontal plane.

Thus it will be understood from Figs. 10 to 12 and the above description, that provision of a bracing or tripod like structure will allow the device of the invention to be maintained in a self-supporting position. The forwardly extending portion 12 and the corner or base member 20 together with the auxiliary supports 95, 96 cooperate to provide a three point support on foundation 85, the portion 12 resting at the corner of the foundation as previously described and the supports 95, 96 spaced by members 90 at opposite sides thereof. Braces 100 serve to adjust and support the standard 30 in -a free standing and rigid condition. in the case of solid brick structure, the modified form of brick laying aid as described is particularly desirable due to the absence of pre-erected structure to which the upper end of standard 30 could be attached and supported.

A corner guide 110, illustrated in Fig. 14, is also pro:

vided to aid in constructing true corners, .the form of.

which is preferably the same as line holding member60 and is similarly provided with a locking bolt 111 to adjustably secure the guide in any desired position. In place of the line holding pin 68 is an angular guide 112 welded or otherwise secured to member 110 as shown. Guide 110 is used in relation with line holding member 60 positioned below the latter on standard 30, member 60 aiding in horizontal and vertical alignment of the walls and member 110 serving to assure vertical plumb of the corners of the structure.

As shown in Fig. 10, two pairs of members 60 and 110 are utilized in practice, the lowermost pair carried by support 10 serving to lay the courses until the structure reaches the proximity of the support 60a, thereafter the pair of members 60 and 110 carried by standard 30 above member 60a are employed to continue the work of constructing the desired corner and walling.

With minor alterations, it has been found that this modified device of the invention may be adapted for the construction of inside corners as described in connection with the device (Figs. 8 and 9) used for inside corner construction particularly of veneer type structures.

From the foregoing, it is evident that the masonry guide device of this invention can be quickly positioned for the construction of brick or stone walls and after being angularly adjusted, for example, as to vertical and horizontal alignment, will support guide lines in proper horizontal positions for horizontally aligning sequential courses of bricks during the construction of brick walling, the line holders being readily adjusted in accord with graduations on the standard. Moreover, in contradistinction to masonry guide devices hitherto known, the devices of the present invention are desirably positioned on and releasably secured to the foundation or footing of a building before constructing a level base brick structure of four or more courses of brick as is customarily required for the use of ordinary guides for bricklayers use. In addition, the devices of the invention may be constructed of metal or plastic parts except, perhaps, the adjusting bolts 23, 24, 47 and 48 of the base and top supporting members and may be extended to any desired size within the limits of the particular size of the device so that such device may meet particular corner and wall construction requirements.

There has thus been provided simple and eificient devices of the kind described and for the purpose specified.

While the devices herein described constitute preferred embodiments of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to these precise devices, and that changes may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention which is described in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

i. In a device of the character described, a standard, a base member provided with guide members forming a slot receiving said standard, said base member having a longitudinally extending plate hinged thereto and adapted to rest on a foundation, wing members at right angles to each other and forming a part of said plate, said wing members being adapted to embrace the corner of a foundation, a top supporting member releasably secured to said standard, and guide line aligning means vertically adjustable on said standard and said base member, said top supporting member including a pair of clamps disposed at right angles to each other and adapted to attach to projecting members of a building.

2. A device of the character described adapted for building construction such as brick walls and corners comprising, in combination, a base member having an upwardly and a forwardly extending portion, said forwardly extending portion being joined to integral wing portions at right angles to each other and adapted to adjustably embrace the corner of a foundation wall, said upwardly extending porting being provided with a pair of guide members arranged to provide a slot adapted to slidably and adjustably receive a T-shaped standard, a top supporting member releasably secured to said standard, and aligning means vertically adjustable on said standard, said top supporting member including a pair of clamps disposed at right angles to each other and adapted to attach to projecting members of a building.

- 3. A masonry corner and wall guide comprising a standard adapted to be supported in predetermined angular position to the corner of a building foundation and provided at its upper end with supporting means, a base member provided with guide members and adapted to slidably and adjustably carry said standard, aligning means vertically adjustable on said standard and base members, and means for adjustably connecting the base member to 8 foundation corner'portions, said supporting means including a pair of clamps disposed at right angles to each other and adapted to attach to projecting members of a building.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 420,880 Lambdin Feb. 4, 1890 1,643,915 Angelilli Sept. 27, 1927 1,909,267 Golt May 16, 1933 2,623,289 Kampel Dec. 30, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 312,754 Italy Nov. 24, 1933 943,409 France Oct. 4, 1948 

